How to use the pattern applet:

This applet is created to help build ice dance patterns.
Each pattern is built up step by step.  A pattern is made
up of lobes, circular arcs, tangent to each other.  The
arcs themselves are the "continuous axis" of the pattern.
Since steps are made with feet, tracings will generally
not be on the continuous axis.  Indeed, each step will
begin either "inside" the continuous axis (or "pattern")
or "outside" it.  Note that this is quite different from
the normal skating definition of "inside" or "outside."

The applet can be used in one of two ways.  Either it
can be run interactively, using the controls to enter
the steps (slow and painful) or it can be run from a 
script.  The scripting language is much more powerful
than the controls, but I haven't figured out a way to
bypass Java's applet security, so as far as I can tell
no one else can use that approach.  Since if others get
to use it, I might have to maintain this program as more
than just a toy, I might not get around to it. :)

The Edges applet has the following controls:

Clear: 
    Starts the pattern over from scratch.
Undo:
    Removes the last item done.
Number Beats:
    Draws beat numbers inside the pattern.
Label Edges:
    Draws edge numbers and descriptions near the edges
Beats per Edge:
    Edges henceforth will be this long.  A beat is
    an arbitrary length of time defined elsewhen.
Beats per Circle:
    Each edge is an arc, so a four beat edge will
    go halfway around an 8-beat circle, but only
    1/4 around a 16-beat circle.
Edge:
    Draws an edge of the type chosen below.
Newlobe:
    Starts heading in the other direction, either
    leaning left or right.
Edge Types:
    Centered:  draws an edge on the continuous axis
    Invisible: moves some beats along the continuous axis.
    Inside-Inside: draws an edge inside the continuous axis
    Outside-Outside; draws an edge outside the pattern.
    Inside-Outside: draws an edge starting inside the
	pattern and ending outside the pattern.
    Outside-Inside: reverse of the last thing.
    Inside Mohawk: draws a forward inside Mohawk
	outside the pattern.  (O-O)
    Outside Mohawk: draws a forward outside Mohawk
	inside the pattern.  (I-I)
    Two Foot: draws an edge with both feet on the ice.
    Three: draws a three turn.  (I-O)
    Cross Three: draws a three turn. (O-O)
Draw Rink:
    Draws a 200' x 100' rink around the pattern,
    sizing and placing it to fit.
Lower Left Slider:
    Zooms in and out
Lower Right Slider:
    Pans right and left
Right side slider:
    Pans up and down

Scripting Language:

The best way to create patterns is to use the scripting
language.  I don't know a good way to make extensive text
input a useful part of the system while letting the program
stay an applet, but here's the syntax anyway.  

Each line consists of a command and some arguments.  Optional
arguments are noted in curly braces ({}). The commands are:

    ! comments begin with exclamation points
    edge beats {label}
	draws a centered edge of beats in duration
    iiedge beats {label}
	draws an inside to inside (I-I) edge
    ioedge beats {label}
	draws an I-O edge 
    oiedge beats {label}
	draws an O-I edge
    ooedge beats {label}
 	draws an O-O edge
    invisible beats {label}
	draws an invisible edge	
    three beats {label}
	draws a three turn (I-O)
    crossthree beats {label}
	draws a three turn (O-O)
    insidemohawk beats {label}
	draws an inside Mohawk (O-O)
    outsidemohawk beats {label}
	draws an outside Mohawk (I-I)
    twofootedge beats {label}
	draws a two-foot edge
    circle beatspercircle
	sets the number of beats for future circles.  
	Default is 16.
    newlobe
	Starts a new lobe in the other direction
    start x y
	Starts the pattern somewhere other than the center.
	The coordinate system is (0,0) is the center, with
	positive Y up and positive X to the right.  The
	closest edge of the application is unit distance
	from the center.
    measure beats
	Tells the program how many beats per measure
	to draw.  Default is 4.
    phase angle
	Tells what angle along the first lobe to 
	start the pattern.   0-360 are sensible choices.
    radius units
	Tells the program to change the size of the 
	circles used for lobes.  The program will
	do this automatically each time the number of
	beats per circle is changed.  This is to assume
	that skaters stay at the same speed.  If a 
	pattern or program requires speed changes, this
	can be done by changing the radius of the circle.
	Default is .2
    ifd units 
	Changes the distance between "inside the pattern,"
	"on the pattern," and "outside the pattern."  Default
	is .01
    patternturn degrees
	changes the lobe so that the next edge is not
	tangent to the previous one.  This ought never
	be used, but I can't figure out how to draw
	the Cha-cha without it.  The patterns in the
	USFSA handbook make extensive use of patternturns.
    widestep factor
	increase the ifd for the next step only by
	a factor of factor.
    label text
	draws a label between the previous edge and
	the next one.  Typical labels are "XB" and "XF".
    rink x y
	adds a rink of different aspect ratio than
	the default one.
    progressive beats
	draws a little progressive arrow inside the
	pattern extending along the next "beats" beats.

Labels:

Labels have a little syntax of their own.  They are:
{carriage control character}{optional number }{text}
If the first character is one of -\/.',v^ then it is
removed and used as carriage control.  The effects are:

	CC Character	Effect
	-- ---------    ------
	None		draw to right
	^		draw to right and up one line
	v		draw to right and down one line
	-		draw to left
 	\		draw to left and up one line
	/		draw to left and down one line
	.		draw centered
	'		draw centered and up one line
	,		draw centered and down one line

If the first character is a number (or the second is
if the first is a cc character), then the number is
removed and drawn in bold face.  The rest of the text
is drawn normally.  

Examples:
	1 LFO
	  Labels step #1 as _1_ LFO
	'11a RFO opMo
	  Labels step #11a as an RFO opMo (open Mohawk)
	  with the 11a bolded.  The label is drawn
	  centered and raised.


An example pattern:

! This is the pre-silver Foxtrot

start .45 -.25
phase -25
ifd .007
radius .2

! Men's steps
circle 16
ioedge 1	1 LFO
label XB
ioedge 1	2 RFI XBCh
ioedge 2	3 LFO
label XS

newlobe
circle 12.5217
crossthree 2	4a RFO XR dr3
iiedge 2	4b LBO

newlobe
circle 16
iiedge 2	5 RBO
oiedge 1	6 LFO
ooedge 1	7 RFI Pr
ioedge 2	8 LFO

newlobe
label XS
crossthree 2 	^9 RFO XR dr3
iiedge 2	10 LBO

newlobe
circle 8
label SC
iiedge 1	11a RBO
ooedge 1	11b LBI pr

circle 12.5217
iiedge 4	-12 RBO

newlobe
circle 8
ioedge 2	-13 LFI

newlobe 
circle 16
ooedge 2	-14 RFI

! Lady's Steps

circle 16
ioedge 1	-1 LFO
label		-XB
ioedge 1	-2 RFI-XBch
ioedge 2	-3 LFO

newlobe
circle 12.5217
label		-XS
ooedge 4	-4 RFO-XR

newlobe
circle 16
label		-XS
crossthree 2	-5 LFO-XR-dr3
iiedge 1	-6 RBO
ooedge 1	-7 LBI-Pr
ioedge 2	-8 RBO

newlobe
label		-XS
oiedge 2	-9 LBO-XR
oiedge 2	-10 RFO

newlobe
circle 8
label		-SC
ioedge 2	-11 LFO
circle 12.5217
iiedge 4	12 RBO

newlobe
circle 8
ioedge 2	13 LFO

newlobe
circle 16
ooedge 2 	14 RFI